Mapped: Which Countries Rely Most On Imports

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Key Takeaways

• Globally, imported goods and services are equal to 28% of GDP.
• Despite importing $3.4 trillion of goods, the U.S. has one of the lowest import-to-GDP ratios because of its massive and diverse economy.
• Several small island economies have extremely high import-to-GDP ratios, including Cuba (82%) and Taiwan (49%), given limited domestic production.

Global imports are valued at approximately 28% of GDP, with trillions of dollars in goods and services moving across borders each year.

In dozens of countries, imports exceed 50% of GDP, especially in trade-oriented nations and smaller economies. While elevated ratios are common in major trade hubs like Singapore and Hong Kong, they can also signal a heavier reliance on imported food and commodities.

This graphic shows import reliance by country, based on data from the World Bank.

Import Reliance Amid Global Uncertainty

Import dependence has become a central issue in foreign policy, as many countries work to de-risk their supply chains.

Among the biggest focus areas are critical minerals and advanced semiconductors. Beyond this, European countries have ramped up renewable energy to reduce reliance on Russian oil. As a whole, imports account for 46% of GDP across EU countries.

Hong Kong has the highest import-to-GDP ratio in the world at 178%, driven largely by its role as a major re-export hub.

More than half of these re-exported goods originate in China, passing through Hong Kong before being shipped to the rest of the world. In total, the value of Hong Kong’s re-exports exceeds half a trillion dollars.

Singapore, with an import-to-GDP ratio of 144%, is similarly a key re-export—or entrepôt—economy.

Meanwhile, island nations such as Cyprus, Cuba, and Taiwan tend to be more import-dependent due to limited domestic production. In Cuba, up to 80% of food is imported, mainly from the Netherlands and Spain.

Moreover, Taiwan is heavily reliant on imported energy, with most of its oil shipped from the Middle East. The country also imports billions of dollars’ worth of oil derivatives from Russia, which are essential inputs in semiconductor manufacturing.

In North America, Mexico has the highest import-to-GDP ratio at 38%, followed by Canada at 33%. Despite recording $3.4 trillion in imports in 2024, the U.S. has the sixth-lowest import dependence globally, at 14%, given the sheer size of its economy and diverse domestic production.

Also sitting at the bottom are Sudan (1%) and Venezuela (9%), where ongoing crises and corruption have severely disrupted trade flows.

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